Monksland pharma founder named finalist in Enterprise Ireland Founder of the Year awards

Enterprise Ireland has announced Athlone's Leah Fletcher, founder of Monksland-based Dunbar Pharma, as one of the five finalists for the 2026 High Potential Start-up (HPSU) Founder of the Year Awards.

Now in its 11th year, the HPSU Founders Forum is delivered in partnership with Select Strategies, with more than 500 founders participating to date from sectors including digital technologies, medical devices, fintech, food, engineering and construction.

Thirty-eight Enterprise Ireland-supported start-ups were eligible for this year's award, with five founders shortlisted as finalists, including Breda O'Regan of Lia EyeCare, Mark Birrane of Wondr, Robert Norton of Kaptea, Sean Kirwan of MedWrite AI, and Leah Fletcher of Dunbar Pharma

The overall winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday, October 15, at Salesforce Tower, Dublin.

Dunbar Pharma develops and manufactures plant-derived Cannabinoid Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) for use in medicines.

Founded in 2022, the company has quickly grown into a high-tech employer in the Midlands, with a GMP[1]certified manufacturing facility and a growing export footprint.

Dunbar Pharma has recently brought the first plant-derived dronabinol active pharmaceutical ingredient to UK market.